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Don’t Push It

Which kind of customer experience would you like to create: one that’s pushy and self-promoting, or one that engages customers and builds relationships?

If you’ve read even one of my Shareworthy Service posts, you know what my answer to this question is – especially since building business relationships is what Haley Marketing is all about.

Shep Hyken recently wrote a short, yet poignant post on why customer experience is your best marketing. And I couldn’t agree with his message more. Here are a few brief excerpts from his post that your staffing firm should really take to heart:

“It used to be that a good website was really a brochure on the internet…But, today a good website is about offering up new content, sometimes daily (or even more often), in the form of articles, white papers, videos and even games. Customers can post comments and interact. It’s all about engagement with the customer. A good website…turns into a positive and interactive customer experience.”

“…customer service is the new marketing – some of your best marketing. Create an amazing service experience that gets customers to not only come back, but to also share that experience with their friends, colleagues and family members.”

“…the interaction and engagement that happens before the sale – which is part of marketing – needs to be considered as part of the experience…It’s about engagement, interaction and relationship building…before the customer ever decides to spend any money with you.”

If you’re working hard to create amazing experiences for clients and candidates, here are a few practical ways to turn that great CX into effective marketing – without being too pushy or sales-y:

Ask for feedback.

Some people will provide unprompted feedback, but you’ll receive much more high-quality input if you ask for it.This can be as simple as having recruiters and account managers gather anecdotes, or as formal as an anonymous customer feedback survey.

If the feedback is negative, consider it a gift – because in business, the best lessons often come from criticism. And if the customer’s comments are positive? Put that content to work for you (see the next tip).

Leverage client- and candidate-generated content.

People are strongly influenced by what their peers do. When your customers leave reviews, testimonials and comments, that content frequently leads to more similar content – which effectively builds trust and boosts conversions. Leverage this cycle of positivity by:

featuring glowing testimonials and reviews on your website’s home page;